Of the three major types of skin cancer, melanoma is the deadliest and least common, accounting for less than five percent of the 3.5 million new skin cancers diagnosed annually. “Melanoma is a tumor that arises from the skin’s normal pigment-producing cells when UV damage causes them to grow out of control,” says Dr. Ellen Marmur from The Mount Sinai Medical Center. “The problem with melanoma is that it tends to have rogue cells that can break off and spread to other parts of the body – which makes it potentially deadly if not detected early.” Learn more